Japanese Maple with Problems

[Miguelito's Blade]

I don't know what's wrong, though something definitely is. Its leaves are curling and many have brown edges. As I recall, the leaves looked pretty much like this when I got it last month. Since then, I have been careful watering, but other than sprinkling some slow release fertilizer pellets on the soil, I haven't done anything else to it.. It gets about 3 or 4 hours of direct sunlight, and indirect sunlight for the rest of the day. I bought it as a bargain, in the belief I still have that whatever it is that's wrong with it can be remedied.

 

[QuantumSparky]

Maybe keep it in light shade for a few days and see if that helps at all

 

[Paradox]

How often do you water it and how much water do you give it?

 

[Miguelito's Blade]

I water when the upper soil is dry and deeper down is still moist.

 

[0soyoung]

Old leaves are not going to change - their state is permanent.
I see that you have new growth = good. Keep your eyes on that.

Keep doing what you are doing.
You might want to run a little test over a period of a day or two that you can keep your eyes on it (hourly). The test is to wait to water until the new shoot(s) just start to wilt/droop. When you do subsequently water, turgidity should return within an hour or so. The point is to calibrate your eye for recognizing when it must be watered.

Were it earlier in the season (4 - 6 weeks ago), those old leaves could have been removed (defoliation) and likely would have been replaced with new leaves by now. You could test a branch or two, now, but I doubt you'll get replacement leaves before this growing season is over.

 

[Miguelito's Blade]

Thanks for the responses. It' a relief to know that I don't really have as bad a problem as I had feared.

 

[Ohmy222]

is it inside? Minimal chance of survival if indoors.

 

[Miguelito's Blade]

It lives exclusively outside.

 

[AcerAddict]

As I recall, the leaves looked pretty much like this when I got it last month.

Maple leaves don't "recover" so to speak. If they get chomped on by bugs or turn brown from disease, chemicals, or the sun, they just stay that way till they fall off or you manually defoliate. The new growth you have in the pic is promising though. I wouldn't sweat the long-term outlook for this tree just yet. It's late in the year to defoliate though, so I would just let the tree do its own thing when fall comes. In the meantime, you can reduce the amount of sun hitting it so you don't risk further injury from burning. What cultivar is that? Standard Acer palmatum?

 

[Miguelito's Blade]

What cultivar is that? Standard Acer palmatum?

My learning about bonsai has yet to progress to the point that I could answer your question. I don't know what cultivar it is, so for now I will assume it's a Standard Acer palmatum.

 

[Katie0317]

I noticed you're in 9B and so am I. This is the tree at the top of my wish list but am not sure how well it does in the heat and lack of winter cold. Did you buy it online by chance? If so from what part of the country? If you bought it from another state I think it would take time to adjust. As much as I want this tree I need to learn more before I buy one. My understanding and hopefully someone with more knowledge than I have will chime in but aren't there many types of Japanese maples and only a small percentage of those will grow this far south in Florida?

I'm thinking it came from a zone other than 9B and the heat is causing issues. It's blazing here!

 

[0soyoung]

from a zone other than 9B and the heat is causing issues. It's blazing here!

USDA zones are just cold hardiness zones (i.e., how cold it gets in winter). It (USDA zone 9b, for example) has nothing to do with how hot it gets during the growing season.

 

[Katie0317]

California, Texas, Arizona and Florida all contain 9b...So we tend to have warm winters and hot summers.

I'd like to grow a Japanese maple but I'm concerned it's too hot here in summer, not to mention too hot in winter. 9b is pretty much just hot most of the year.

I'd actually been told what you just shared because we're looking for big foxtail palms and we're on the verge. They could actually freeze in 9b. So I understand what you're saying.

Clearly you're experienced. Do you think it's okay if I buy a Japanese maple for 9b? I'd really like one but am concerned about the summer heat.

 

[Paradox]

0soyoung is correct.. The USDA winter hardiness zone map has nothing to do with summer heat..
Go look at the map, you'll see my area for example, zone 7 occurs over a wide area that experience much different summers. Part of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona are zone 7 and it is much warmer in those areas in the summer

There is also a AHS heat zone map which would be more relevant.

Not sure how well Japanese maple would do in your area.. you probably have to let it get morning sun and keep it under a shade cloth for the hottest part of the day. And yea your winter may also be too warm for proper dormancy

Trident maple is supposedly ok for your zone.

 

[Katie0317]

Thanks for the trident maple suggestion. We're going to be going to a big bonsai nursery not too far from here and I've read they have trident maples on an old BN thread. I also read of people here in Orlando putting them in the freezer. Not an option for us but whatever. We do get cold snaps, they're just short and unpredictable. Some years we have incredibly warm winters so it's hard to predict. I'll look into them. I can't remember the last time I've seen a maple tree in central Florida. I'd really love to have one. It's the number one tree I'd like to have!

Every tree we've bought is a flowering tropical and subtropical and they're all doing great. It's a natural choice for Florida which is probably why I'd like to have a maple. Thank you. I'll be looking into it with a Florida bonsai nursery. We were at Sheley's last week but I forgot to ask. We got on other topics! Take care and thanks..

 

[Mikecheck123]

I don't know what's wrong, though something definitely is. Its leaves are curling and many have brown edges. As I recall, the leaves looked pretty much like this when I got it last month. Since then, I have been careful watering, but other than sprinkling some slow release fertilizer pellets on the soil, I haven't done anything else to it.View attachment 395043View attachment 395044. It gets about 3 or 4 hours of direct sunlight, and indirect sunlight for the rest of the day. I bought it as a bargain, in the belief I still have that whatever it is that's wrong with it can be remedied.

The most common cause of death for new owners of Japanese maples is keeping them too wet. This often happens by putting it in a huge pot because someone on reddit said that it would grow faster that way. Not so, and that's a sure way to kill it.
Did you happen to repot it/up-pot it when you got it? I can't see your soil or pot setup.

 

[Mikecheck123]

It (USDA zone 9b, for example) has nothing to do with how hot it gets during the growing season.

Very important point Osoyoung makes. Japanese maples in zone 10 in Los Angeles die quickly, but absolutely thrive in zone 10 of the Bay Area. Why? Because climate is more complex than a one-dimensional scale of average maximum cold in the last 30 years (which is what the USDA zone means).

There are many factors that can kill Japanese maples besides warm winters. Another one is warm nights. That's one reason that they live in SF but die in LA--the nights are too warm.

The best way to tell if a tree will do well in your zone is to look around. Do you see any Japanese maples where you live? I've personally never seen one in Florida, nor have I ever seen well-known Florida bonsai artists work with Japanese maples.

If that's the case, it's probably not going to do well there.

If you had to try one, I'd recommend Sango kaku, which can take 110 degree days no problem. (but they aren't ideal for bonsai, if that matters)

 

[Miguelito's Blade]

I noticed you're in 9B and so am I. This is the tree at the top of my wish list but am not sure how well it does in the heat and lack of winter cold. Did you buy it online by chance? If so from what part of the country? If you bought it from another state I think it would take time to adjust. As much as I want this tree I need to learn more before I buy one. My understanding and hopefully someone with more knowledge than I have will chime in but aren't there many types of Japanese maples and only a small percentage of those will grow this far south in Florida?

I'm thinking it came from a zone other than 9B and the heat is causing issues. It's blazing here!

I noticed you're in 9B and so am I. This is the tree at the top of my wish list but am not sure how well it does in the heat and lack of winter cold. Did you buy it online by chance? If so from what part of the country? If you bought it from another state I think it would take time to adjust. As much as I want this tree I need to learn more before I buy one. My understanding and hopefully someone with more knowledge than I have will chime in but aren't there many types of Japanese maples and only a small percentage of those will grow this far south in Florida?

I'm thinking it came from a zone other than 9B and the heat is causing issues. It's blazing here!

It came from a bonsai nursery a few miles from here. It has been hot here, but it has started cooling off a little. I now have it in the shade as direct sunlight is still pretty hot here. Sorry about double posting Katie0317's response, but for some reason my mouse won't do it any other way.

 

[Miguelito's Blade]

The most common cause of death for new owners of Japanese maples is keeping them too wet. This often happens by putting it in a huge pot because someone on reddit said that it would grow faster that way. Not so, and that's a sure way to kill it.
Did you happen to repot it/up-pot it when you got it? I can't see your soil or pot setup.

It's in the six inch, black nursery pot it came in.

 

[Paradox]

I can't remember the last time I've seen a maple tree in central Florida. I'd really love to have one. It's the number one tree I'd like to have!

If they are not used in the landscaping in your area, most likely they will not do well there.

There are some species I would like to have too but they just won't work in my area.

Unfortunately desire isn't a substitute for reality.